Lessons Learned
by Sgt. Sporky
Summary: The characters of Inu-Yasha- young and old alike- learn valuable lessons in this series of disconnected but related oneshots and drabbles. Lesson the Third: Patience. Inu-Yasha learns to wait.
1. Lesson the First: Outfoxed!

_**A/N: Inspiration for this set of drabbles and oneshots hit me while I was zoned out at work the other night. As often happens when an idea comes to me and a computer is not immediately available, I then put off writing it for several days. Initially, this was to be a oneshot, but I think I'll turn it into a series, not necessarily connected but all the same overall concept. Updates are not terribly likely to be regular, given my highly irregular schedule and a muse less reliable than the L85, but expect them eventually. On with the show!**_

 **Lesson the First: Outfoxed!**

The sky was clear and the sun was bright in Feudal Japan, the heat sweltering and the ground parched from the weeks without rain. The farmers worried about their crops and the fishermen about the rivers and lakes, while the nobles, by extension, worried about taxes and their coffers. The adventurers coming into the small, nameless village, packs well-stocked with shelf-stable, calorie-dense, nutritious food and supplies from the future, had little to fear from the drought, but did still have their concerns regarding the Shikon Jewel. But, they had collectively decided- even the ever-impatient Inu-Yasha- that those concerns could wait a short while in light of the fact that Kagome needed to find more arrows and couldn't exactly pluck them, fletching, steel tips and all, straight out of the ground. Her marksmanship was lacking (though it had improved by no small amount since her adventure began), but the fact stood that her sacred arrows were probably one of the most potent weapons in their collective arsenal, not to mention her only means of defending herself without aid.

Inu-Yasha, petulant as ever, grumbled on, voicing his complaints about her capabilities as Miroku haggled with the fletcher, offering to "exorcise" his house in exchange for a small batch of a dozen arrows, which of course really just meant sticking a sutra to the door and pretending that the non-existent demon had vanished. Inu-Yasha grumbled for maybe a minute before Kagome snapped at him.

"Well what do you _want_ from me, huh?!" Kagome half-asked, half-shouted. "So what, I'm not a perfect shot! Even with modern weapons it can take people _months_ or even _years_ to learn to hit targets like I'm shooting at consistently and you want me to do it with a bow and arrow?"

Sango- wondering how anyone could take years to learn to hit a man-sized or larger target with just about anything- kept her mouth shut except to sigh at Miroku's con artistry (and it really was becoming an art form these days). Inu-Yasha began to protest, but was almost immediately sat into oblivion.

Shippo, meanwhile, observed the adults (insofar as they could be called that, he often mused) for but a brief moment before deciding now would be a convenient time to slip away and find anything other than listening to them to do for the moment. People mostly ignored him, a few avoided him as they noticed his tail and legs, which gave away his heritage, but one in particular, sitting at a small, makeshift stall, waved him over. Enticed by the man's friendly face, the fox kit came to investigate.

"Hello there, young lad," the man said to him. "Came in with that group? Traveling?"

Shippo nodded enthusiastically. "We are. It'll be nice to sleep in an actual bed again tonight, since we've been on the road a while. I bet Miroku is already working his magic on some innkeeper or something."

"Aye," the man said, "I travel often myself. The road has a special charm, but so does sleeping under a proper roof!"

Shippo couldn't help but giggle. "You bet it does. So, why wave me over?"

"Because I know you're a traveler, and travelers are always interested in this," the merchant said, holding up a small bag. "A special blend of herbs and spices, guaranteed to make even the blandest of foods a delectable delight! All yours for just one hundred mon!"

"Well, I don't have any coins or money..." Shippo said, trailing off.

"I'll take barter, too, youngin! If you've got something about that value, I'll consider it."

Shippo put a hand to his chin and thought for a moment before snapping his fingers and beginning to dig in his bag for something thought might hold enough value, and found it. From his bag, he removed a small string of fine glass beads, enough to make a bracelet for a grown person. "How about these?" he asked. "I got 'em as part of a payment someone gave us for helping out with a demon once."

The merchant nodded and smiled approvingly. "Fine material and workmanship. I believe they'll do, lad. You have yourself a deal!"

"That's great," the child said, handing over his beads and taking the little bag of spices. "Thanks!"

"Think nothing of it, m'boy. Run along now! Your parents must be getting worried."

Too excited at having acquired something to help the group in some small way, Shippo did indeed run along to rejoin the group.

 **MUQFF**

A day later, they were on the road again, well-rested and restocked with arrows and some much-needed clean clothes thanks to the town's nearby river, Kagome astride her bike while the others walked along, Sango puzzling at her friend's strange mount from the future, rapidly discerning how it worked but unsure how Kagome- who had always implied she was an ordinary person from an ordinary family- could afford an item made of that much metal. Surely such a thing was expensive! But no matter- her friend made good use of it.

That night, when they made camp and Kagome began to cook, Shippo produced for her the spices he had traded for, proudly smiling. "Guess what I got for us, Kagome!"

Kagome took a peek inside the bag. "Shippo? This is just a bag of dirt," she said, confused. Inu-Yasha sighed.

"I guess someone tricked you. Outfoxed the fox," the half-demon scoffed. "Gotta learn to use your nose."

"Be careful, Inu-Yasha," Miroku warned, "you're coming awfully close to a genuinely clever joke." Noticing the distraught look on Shippo's face, the monk knelt next to him as he grumbled.

"I can't believe I let someone fool me like that," the kit complained, cursing himself mentally for being so stupid.

"It's alright, Shippo," Miroku said. "It happens to everyone. Still, there's a lesson in it. You already learned far too young that not everyone in the world is a nice or even a good person, but what a lot of people don't learn until it's too late is that sometimes it's hard to tell who's a bad person at first," he went on. "Sometimes, even the worst villains look like ordinary men and women, or might even seem like they could be heroes. I'm just glad you didn't lose anything more valuable than what you traded for this to learn that."

Shippo nodded. "Thanks, Miroku. I guess I feel a little better now."

"Any time," Miroku said. "And there's a second part to the lesson. Good people don't always look like it, either. You can never really know what a person is like at first glance. It's best to learn about a person for yourself, as much as you can, before you make a judgement about them, because their appearance means very little, or nothing at all."

Kagome looked up from her cooking (really just some instant ramen). "Miroku is right, Shippo! We have sayings about that in my era. Don't judge a book by its cover. And not all that glitters is gold."

"Don't judge a book by its cover, and not all that glitters is gold," the monk quietly repeated to himself. "I rather like that."

 **MUQFF**

 _ **A/N: There we are! The first in what I hope to be a rather large set of drabbles, starting with a lesson most of us learn quite young ourselves! I also wanted to address the often unmentioned reverse of the intended meaning of the phrase- not all that glitters is gold. These two expressions are two sides of the same coin and must be taught side by side, and neither taken too far. I hope you enjoyed. Review, please. I need reviews for my muse. FEED THE ALMIGHTY MUSE.**_


	2. Lesson the Second: On Leadership

_**A/N: Here we are again, another lesson! Written halfway through a bottle of Crown and three quarters of the way through**_ **Apocalypse Now,** _ **this is a lesson in what it means to be in charge and be responsible. Read. Review. Enjoy. Review. Please, for the Emperor, review.**_

 **MUQFF**

It was a rainy day in ancient Japan. Actually, the description "rainy" would not have covered it, even for Lord Sesshomaru, the veritable emperor of understatement with regards to danger and discomfort. It may be more appropriate to say that the downpour was absolutely torrential, an unrelenting deluge of precipitation coming down practically in sheets and soaking the ground right down to the tree roots in a matter of minutes. Worst of all, it had seemingly come from nowhere, as nasty weather often does.

Lord Sesshomaru- in spite of being just as soaked to the bone as his small human companion- didn't seem to mind as he helped prop up the central pole of their tent while Jaken and Rin drove stakes into the ground and tied ropes. The demon lord had actually added the tent to his kit especially for Rin, for while he and Jaken could quite easily withstand being soaked and frozen, Rin was mortal. If Sesshomaru knew anything of humans, it was that even the large ones were quite frail, nevermind one that hadn't even finished growing yet. If he was to take this child on, it would be his responsibility to ensure she survived, he thought.

Once they were inside the tent- a large structure for what it was, with a vent in the roof- the demon lord dug a small pit and Jaken constructed and lit within it a fire to warm their human follower. Rin sighed in relief as she felt her clothes dry, for fires lit by the Staff of Heads burned quite hot.

"Lord Sesshomaru," the child questioned, "why did you help?"

The dog demon looked at her. His expression did not betray it, but he was befuddled by her strange, confusing question. Rin, as if understanding without words, went on to explain further.

"The headman of my old village wouldn't have helped," she said. "He probably would have sat under a tree and yelled at everyone else to do it for him."

Sesshomaru remained quiet a moment before he answered. "Then he was not much of a headman."

Rin cocked her head, now as puzzled with her lord as he had been with her but moments before. Sesshomaru- needing no verbal questioning, just like Rin- went on to explain.

"A leader," he said, "does not simply direct others without aiding them. Were the headman of your village a true leader, he would aid his subordinates in such a task. Leaders do not simply give orders, Rin. One who leads a set of people in a task- human or demon- surely must aid in such a task. I would not ask a soldier to follow an officer into battle if the officer would not fight. Why should I ask my own followers to set a tent in harsh weather while I do nothing? It is improper for a leader to abandon his followers. Example is the highest form of leadership. If I am lazy, incompetent or cowardly, what reason do those beneath me have to make any effort for me? Leadership is a mantle of responsibility to the people beneath you, far more than it is one of power. Those of us who take roles as leaders are obligated- both by practicality and morality- to be exemplary, and to care for those under us."

"As wise as ever, milord," Jaken said, as full of praise as ever. "Rin, Lord Sesshomaru does not gather loyal followers by strength alone! Demons follow him because they know he is more than worthy of them! Tease though he may, he will always match our loyalty."

"One of the lessons I kept from my father," Sesshomaru said with a nod. "Whatever your relationship with another individual may be, you will receive only what you give. Father and I both witnessed it- human and demon lords who treated their servants and vassals as slaves and arrow-fodder turned on by their people, or simply abandoned by them. I know that if I treated my followers poorly enough, they would leave my service. I would avoid this, as any lord should. I find myself quite attached to my followes' services."

"What service does Rin provde?" Rin asked, puzzled.

"You are Rin," Sesshomaru said. "That is enough."

That made the child smile, her grin running ear to ear and exposing her missing teeth. The night went on, and she considered what her lord had said.

 _Example is the highest form of leadership,_ she thought to herself. _After all, people need something to follow!_


	3. Lesson the Third: Patience

It was a warm day in Edo. It was early spring, the cherry blossoms were slowly turning the beautiful shade of red that Kagome had so loved, and last frost hadn't been so long ago, but it was long enough to be sure it was safe to sow the seeds of this year's harvest, primarily rice and massive daikon radishes. Shippo could see on Inu-Yasha's face that he wished the priestess from the future were still with them. She'd gone down the well a year ago, vanished without a trace as she usually had, except this time she didn't come back. Everyone found themselves worrying about what had become of her, and the half-demon especially made a point of finding other ways to occupy his time besides thinking about her. Today, he was digging a hole not too far from the sacred tree and the old well, tempting many a joke. It was a small thing, perfectly round, maybe enough to fit a particularly large fist.

Inside it, one clawed hand carefully placed a small handful something small, delicate and precious- the seeds of a maple tree. Caring for it would give him something to do beyond farm work, he supposed, his other hand rolling one of his subjugation beads between forefinger and thumb, almost wishing she would 'sit' him again. He needed to be occupied. He also remembered something Kagome had told him about people in a far-off land who harvested maple trees to make syrup from their sap. She'd given him a rundown on the process, and he was fairly sure he could replicate the confection she'd given him on one of their trips to the future. He slowly, carefully covered over the seeds with the soil and poured a little water on it, and, being the fool he was, he sat before it and waited.

"Uh... Inu-Yasha?" Shippo queried. "What're you doing?"

"Waiting for the tree to grow, _duh,_ " the half-demon answered, as if this were the most reasonable and obvious thing in the world.

Shippo could only shake his head and walk away, dumbfounded at his older friend's ignorance and unwilling to risk a smack upside the head for any effort to educate him.

 **MUQFF**

A day later, Miroku came upon the half-demon still waiting for his tree, looking frustrated. Shippo, perched on the monk's shoulder, resisted the urge to tell Miroku he'd said their friend would still be sitting there. "Inu-Yasha?"

"What? I'm busy waitin' for this tree."

"You... Do realize that trees take _years_ to grow, right?" Miroku asked, baffled.

"Shippo, did you tell Miroku to say that to mess with me?"

"No, you big dummy!" Shippo yelled, exasperated beyond the point of reason. "Trees really _do_ take a long time to grow! It might be ten years or more before you can even _call_ it a tree! And that's if you take good care of it. Which I doubt."

"Oh, shut up, you stupid fox! I'm gonna take _great_ care of this tree, you'll see, you little brat!"

Miroku could only sigh and shake his head. Some things never changed.

"Yeah, _sure._ I bet you get bored of it and walk away inside of a week," Shippo taunted. "Patience is a virtue, but I'm not sure you know what that means!"

Shippo was quickly silenced and quickly regretted going as far as he had, nursing a fresh goose egg. How the half-demon always managed to strike the same spot was beyond him.

 **MUQFF**

Shippo found himself proven wrong. Inu-Yasha carefully tended his maple tree every day, with guidance from Kaede and the farming villagers on the care of plants, watering it in moderation and feeding it with the same fertilizers the villagers used for their crops in small amounts. Shippo and Miroku found themselves impressed with his dedication, but even more so with his newfound ability to seek help without being rude or abrasive to maintain his pride. With its caretaker's guidance, the maple grew far more rapidly than anyone might have expected. Over the next two years, it shot up to be very nearly as tall as a man, an impressive rate of growth for such a thing. It was spring once more when Kagome returned, under red cherry blossoms and a growing tree, one she was quite sure hadn't been there the last time she'd crawled out of the well. Inu-Yasha was so close he caught her scent immediately, and of course the first thing he could think to do was call her name. "Kagome!"

"Inu-Ya-" Kagome began, but was cut off when a blur of red and silver came crashing into her, sweeping her up off her feet and holding her close. Before she knew it, she was staring into those familiar golden eyes she'd so missed for the last three years. "Inu-Yasha..."

"Kagome. I'm so glad you came back."

"So am I," she said. "I'm glad I get to see you again."

"I'm glad I was close enough to be the first one who got to see you, since I was out here with the tree. Everyone was worried when you didn't come back. I couldn't go to you, either."

"I know. The well sealed itself. Honestly, I kept jumping down out of habit. I'm glad I did. So, out with the tree? Sleeping in the sacred branches again? Some things never change."

"What? Nah, I'm talking about that," he said, pointing his thumb at the maple sapling. "I started growing it for something to do. Plus, I thought I might be able to get some of that syrup stuff out of it."

"Wrong kind of maple. Still, I'm impressed. I'm sure it's going to be big."

Inu-Yasha's keen nose twitched, picking up the smell of their friends rushing out to meet them, having heard the dog demon call Kagome's name. Kagome's ears picked up the chorus of voices calling for her not long after, and she called each of their names in turn. All, including herself, were overjoyed at her return, and had three years of catching up to do. Miroku gently nudged his half-demon friend in the ribs to catch his attention. "Shippo was right," he said. "Patience is a virtue, my friend, and virtue is always rewarded. In other words, good things come to those who wait!"

The half-demon simply rolled his eyes. Later that year, he and his priestess would be married under (or, rather, in front of, given its small size) that very tree, and from then on they cared for it together, nurturing its rapid growth. Nearly five hundred years later, a much younger version of Kagome's mother found herself puzzling over a maple that had always been there, but felt as though it hadn't. It always stood out to her as special, so much so that she chose to marry her husband under it, and had two beautiful children. And so, life went on.


End file.
